Match striking compounds



Patented Mar. 18, 1952 I MATCH STRIKING COMPOUNDS Herbert Ellern, Ferguson, Mo., assignor to Universal Match Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application March 9, 1946, Serial No. 653,445

3 Claims.

This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in match striking compounds and the methods of manufacturing and applying the same.

In the manufacture of so-called safety matches, commonly referred to in the match industry as strike-on-box matches, it has been accepted practice to prepare a striking compound containing as active chemical ingredients red phosphorus and finely powdered glass in a relatively thin non-viscous aqueous suspension and apply such compound in a thin film layer upon one of more of the external surfaces of the box or package in which the matches are contained. The user, upon removing a match, may draw the match-head sharply across the striking surface to produce chemical interaction between the phosphorus in the striking compound and the chlorate in the match-head. Existing striking compounds contain such a large percentage of water that the drying time thereof is extremely long and, the production of match packages seriously attenuated. Efiorts to speed up drying by increasing the temperature of the drying tunnels or by increasing the flow of air which is circulated therethrough cause the striking compound to dry with a hard, smooth, and relatively friction-free surface which is practically useless for match-striking purposes.

It is,,therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved striking compound which is simple and economical to prepare .and compound, which has relatively low viscosity 2 short time until it has reached complete uniformity, smooth consistency, and satisfactory viscosity. Thereupon, the phosphorus and inert irigredients are added to the casein solution and 5 the batch is thoroughly agitated until uniformly mixed. The resulting striking compound has the consistency of a free-flowing slurry and may be applied at a temperature of approximately 130 F. to the surface of match boxes or to sheets of cardboard stock used in the manufacture of match boxes in the usual 'manner.

After application, the coated paper stock or match boxes, as the case may be, is immediately passed beneath elongated radiant heating elements adapted to focus sharply upon the coated go'web of paper stock or other coated material is moved at a relatively rapid rate of lineal travel beneath a series of radiant heat elements extending over a substantial lineal distance in order to maintain adequate production capacity 5 in the machinery, although it should be understood that, for specific applications, it is possible to move the web at a comparatively slower speed over relatively shorter distances.

2 By way of illustration and not by way of limivtation, it has been found that the following mation of a flat, non-glazed, and highly sensitive striking surface.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a striking compound of the type stated which will dry rapidly and may be safely subjected to increased drying temperatures without the production of a glazed surface and with- 45 out blistering or cracking.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel processes and compositions of matter presently described and pointed out in the claims.

Broadly speaking, my invention comprises the formation of a striking compound by the intermixture of red phosphorus, finely powdered glass, and other similar inert ingredients and modified casein, that is to say, casein which has been solubilized in the presence of limited amounts of water and caustic soda with the further optional addition of water compatible organic agents capable of lowering the viscosity of the casein solution. The modified casein solution is first made up and allowed to stand for a relatively specific formulae will produce excellent results:

Example I Parts by Weight Casein 12 Caustic soda 1 Red phosphor 50 Whiting 5 Zinc oxide 5 Powdered charcoal 3 Powdered glass 23% 'Water Ethylalcohol 15 Example II Parts by Weight Casein 12 Caustic soda 1% Red phosphorus 45 Zinc oxide 5 Powdered glass 36 /2 Water Emample III Parts by Weight Casein .11 5 Caustic soda '2 Red phosphorus 45 Zinc oxide 8 Carbon him-k 2 Black antimony sulphide 32 60 Water 30 Ethylalcohol 15 um i compounds made in accordance with the present invention can be formulated with a Water content ranging from 20% to 40% by weight and, even in such dilutions as 20% by weight of water, at which dilution the compound has a consistency of a heavy paste, the results upon drying are completely satisfactory and uniform. The ability to compound the solution in such heavy paste form makes it possible to apply such strikin compound by methods of intaglio printing. Furthermore, it should also be pointed out that the alcohol, which is additionally employedas has been mentioned above in some of the specific examples set forth, is not present in sufiicient quantity to act as a vehicle ordiluent in and of itself, but is actually a viscosity reducing agent producing marked; lowering of viscosity. 'If desired, other aliphatic alcohols oracetone may be substituted for ethylalcoholfor this purpose. In addition, it may be stated that a small quantity of furfural orfurfuryl alcohol may be added to'the modified casein solution during its preparation to counteract thetendency of the casein solution to gel upon standing. The addition of these. latter ingredients is not necessary unless manufacturing conditions require that the casein solution be allowed to stand over protracted periods of time.

In preparingthe modified casein solution, I have also found that it is possible to substitute potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, and aliphatic amines, such 'as ethylene diamine, for example, or combinations of these ingredients.

It shouldbe understood that changes in the methods, compositions, percentages, and combinations aboveset forth may be. made without departing from the natureand principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A striking compound having the following constituency Parts by Weight Casein; 12 Caustic soda 1 Red phosphorus 50 Whiting 5 Zinc oxide; 5 Powdered charcoal 3 Powdered glass J 23%; Water 45 i ic nqli 4 2. A striking compound having-approximately the following constituency:

Parts by Weight Casein 12 Caustic soda 1 Red phosphorus 50 Whiting -21 5 Zinc I oxide 5 Powdered charcoal 3 Powdered glass 23 /2 Water 45 Ethylalcohol compound the water constitutes from 20 todO'Z,

of the total mixture.

HERBERT ELLERN.

REFERENCES The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS .i

Number Name Date 83,683 Austin Nov. 3. 1868 579,913 Allday Mar, 30, 1897' 949,920 Swoboda Feb. 22, 1919 1,206,827 Fairburn i Dec. 5,1916 1,341,012 Dixon u l May 25, 1920 1,718,358 Jordan June 25, 1929 1,773,400 Light Aug. 19, 193o- FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1 420,653 France Nov. 29,1910 248,115 Germany June 11', 1912 191,906 Great Britain Jan. 25, 1923 314,852 GreatBritain Nov.- 28, 1929 458,515 Great Britain Dec. 22, 1936 2,273 Australia June 21, 1927 OTHER REFERENCES Sutermeisten Casein, 1939, pages 241-243,

285 and 286.

edition, Reinhold Publishing Co. (1939) 

3. A STRIKING COMPOUND CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF AN ALKALINE CASEINATE, RED PHOSPHORUS, ZINC OXIDE, POWDERED GLASS AND WATER AND IN WHCIH COMPOUND THE WATER CONSTITUTES FROM 20% TO 40% OF THE TOTAL MIXTURE. 